Help sleeping.

I need to get more sleep. I have trouble sleeping and i know it's not good for me. Any pointers?

 

My sleep problems were associated with anxiety/depression.​

Nothing really to be depressed about but my hormones/chemicals were not working correctly. I either COULDN'T fall asleep or I would BUT wake up all night and take forever to go back down.​

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Horrible cycle ,,, I would get mad at 2 am and cry cuss I couldn't sleep!​

Then of course after being upset I was FOR SURE not going to sleep!​

I don't wish that upon anyone!​

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I tried meditation,,, valarian root ,,,sleepy tea,,,,,,and the helped a little but not enough.​

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Eventually I got on paxil and it worked WONDERS for me!​

Now I wake up maybe 1-2 times a night BUT I fall back asleep!​

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SOOOOOOOO ​

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I would figure out WHY you are not sleeping good.​

Too much light?? New House? Stress?? ​

 

I take Tylenol PM...little more then I should. but even then I only sleep for about 4 hrs so then I have to take a little more (or I get up & check out the forums) Yes I already know I over-medicate myself with them alot and seeing as I work in a nursing home I already know about the side effects.

 

wake up early, exercise daily. dont drink caffeine after like 6pm

 

i used to have depression and insomnia, but im all better now! what i suggest is get up earlier in the day and then youll fall asleep early. thats what worked for me. or smoke an 8th and then youll probably fall asleep....

 

without taking sleeping pills I usually can stay awake for 2-3 days straight. On weekends I also work 11-11 at the nursing home so I don't get home till midnight, which is usually when you'll find me on the computer alot. Usually I take a few sleeping pills about 2 or 3am and it takes 1-1 1/2 hrs for them to kick in.

 

do some research on melatonin.

 

I wouldn't self medicate with melatonin. It is a hormone.

Tylenol PM is safe, even for chronic use. It is Tylenol with Benadryl. I would just take the Benadryl, because you don't really need the Tylenol. I never, ever sleep a whole night. The best thing I have found is Dramamine (diphenhydrinate). It is an antihistamine and also safe for regular use. It causes more drowsiness than benadryl and doesn't give me any hangover effect. After a while, when that stops working, I switch to Unisom (doxylamine).

If you try the Dramamine, be sure to get the original (diphenhydrinate) and not the less drowsy (meclizine). If you try the Unisom, either is fine, but I prefer the original, which is doxylamine. The other Unisom is diphenhydramine, which is benadryl.

Good luck. I know how bad it is. If none of these work, ask your doctor for Ambien or Sonata.

 

LOL, i'd avoid taking tylenol. it suppresses normal immune system function and it's hard on the liver.

seriously, do some research on melatonin. it's the only thing that helped my insomniac husband, and he did antidepressants, anxiolytics, over the counter sleep aids, etc etc etc...

 

yes I've tried unisom before and I buy it when I can find it cheaper then Tylenol PM. If I use any doctor prescribed sleeping pills (I've tried friend's) I would need a new presciption every week cuz my body needs more then what any doctor will give ya.
In the past I have even taken percocet, vicodin, tylenol with codine and soma all within the same few hours....course that was when my back was killing me and I was
depressed

 

I use a mixture of valerian, passionflower, and hops to go to sleep. It really works for me. I also have a sleeping pillow with lavender, chamomile (sp?), and valerian... it doesn't smell too good, but it really helps me fall asleep!

 

where can you get a sleeping pillow like that? how long do they last? how much do they cost?

 

If you're having trouble sleeping, a good idea might be to read a book that requires concentration at night. Then, it becomes easier to go to sleep. At least, that works for me.

 

I wouldn't take tylenol or any of those pills. they will "teach" your body to depend on them for sleep. Then your natural seratonin levels won't release what they should release because " why should they" They have been replaced by a chemical.

Tylenol is bad for your liver as well.

You need to regulate they chemicals in your brain and "train" then to get back to normal. This is what the paxil did for me,,, let the chemicals do their job ,,paxil just pushed them in the correct direction if you will.

Also the shower/bath and book is a great idea!!

I also see "dream pillows" on my web site.
A groovy hippie girl in MN makes them,,, I put them on my site to help her out.

You can pick the fabric & herbs and it is filled with organic flax seeds.
LOVE THEM!

 

im so glad that other people know how bad tylonel can be for your liver, esp. if you drink alcohol. ive had sleeping problems since i was ten, & i took tylenol pm for years. slowly but surely, i built a tolerence to acetaminophen(sp) the active ingredent in tylenol. at one point, it took 6 of those to have any effect. right now, i fear i have liver toxicity b/c i have (and had) some symptoms: chronic headaches, fatigue, allergies, pain in my right side. At the time, i didnt make a connection, even when my bilirubin levels werent normal during a CBC for anemia. at the time, i was @ the Tulane health center, & that was 1 of many tests they ordered to steal my money (i went in for mold allergies & migraines & the doctor was convinced i was bulimic and nothing was done for the allergies) so i didnt trust them when the results came in. i was told that it "wasnt serious"


recently, i heard a tylenol commercial saying "if you take too many of our product, dont buy it. we would rather lose the money" which makes me suspicous that they are being sued or are settling lawsuits out of court in relation to liver damage. the bottom line is, DO NOT use tylenol for sleeping problems!!!! use a sleep aid w/o Acetaminophen) b/c your liver may not like you for very long. drink chamomile tea or try meditation or something. just no more acetaminophen!

peace & love
kim

 

yeah I don't do pills

 

Tylenol is an extremely SAFE drug, if you use it responsibly. Taking too much of any drug is bad for you. Why did you think it was okay to take 6 Tylenol PM? After 100mg of diphenhydramine (4 Tylenol PM) there is little to no additional drowsiness. High doses of anticholinergics can interfere with sleep. Half of the people on this site talk about smoking pot, and using MDMA and LSD to "open their minds," but they are all freaked out about Tylenol. Be resonable and responsible!

other ex:
too much aspirin = permanent hearing loss
too much naproxen, ibuprofen = stomach bleeding, kidney failure
too much bisacodyl = loss of or lessened bowel function
too much vitamin A = liver toxicity
too much cortisone cream = permenent thinning of skin

I could go on and on and on...
The key is to be responsible and knowledgeable. Don't be afraid of medicine, and don't let media and Prevention Magazine influence your healthcare decisions. Every drugstore has a pharmacist. ASK FOR THEIR OPINION! Medicine is there to help you, but you have to do your part to make is successful.

 

this forum is for people who want to: Heal thyself thru natural remedies, exercise and alternative therapies.

So, why are you pushing pharmaceuticals, there, PhotoGra1? in your profile it says that you're a pharmacy tech...how much do you actually know about non-allopathic medicine? Do you cover natural healing and alternative remedies in pHARMa-tech school?

 

I did just read that part under the forum name. I didn't realize this was exclusively for "natural" remedies...

I am not going to pHARMacy tech school, I a studying to be a pHARMacist, a pHARMd, a doctor of pharmacy. I have attended several CE's on "natural" remedies. I have also taken one class in herbals and one in nutrition. I am a strong believer in nutrition. Also, I do believe some of the herbal remedies are safe and effective, no question about it. I am concerned by the lack of scientific studies conducted on most herbal remedies, however. They are not always safe. I have seen people get very ill due to certain herbs, most notably Kava Kava (which does work, in my opinion, and I have taken it, before the dangers were published).

I am also concerned when people who are good candidates for medication will not use it, because of the massive amounts of misinformation that circulate. I am not really trying to "push" pHARMaceuticals, I am trying to "push" reliable information, personal responsibility, and reason, in regards to healthcare decisions.

I apologize if I have offended anyone, or made them feel as though I was pushing pHARMaceuticals on them. That was not my intent, at all...

 

Just be careful with melatonin. It is safe for short term use, ie shift work schedule changes, jet lag, etc. Here is an excerpt from supplement watch regarding melatonin:

The interactions of melatonin with other supplements or drugs is unknown, but some studies suggest that melatonin can induce or deepen depression in susceptible individuals. Melatonin supplements may also be dangerous for people with cardiovascular risks, due to the possibility of vasoconstriction and increased blood pressure. The National Institutes of Health has warned about possible dangers of melatonin supplementation, including infertility, reduced sex drive in males, hypothermia, retinal damage and interference with hormone replacement therapy. Information regarding the long-term effects of melatonin supplements is unavailable.

I also recommend checking out this site:


æhttp://www.thomasjmoore.com/pages/dietary_main.shtml